Remember Ivy Grace Paredes? Well of course you do, she’s the Dubai-based singer who nailed a Whitney Houston number when she auditioned for The X Factor this month.

You could hardly forget these pipes:

However we have some very sad news for you – the mum-of-one won’t be winning the UK reality show, and it’s all down to some niggly visa issues.

The expat, who’s originally from Malaybalay in the Philippines, has been forced to drop out after being unable to travel to America for the next stage of the competition.

“As with all contestants travelling to the US for Judges Houses, Ivy was required to have a visa,” a X Factor spokesperson told The Telegraph. “Unfortunately there was an issue with her application being approved which meant that she was not granted a visa in time and sadly had to withdraw from the competition.”

There’s no details yet as to why her application was rejected or delayed.

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It’s extra disappointing as the 33-year-old, who was told by judge Simon Cowell she was“one of the best we’ve had”, had managed to smash her way through the bootcamp stage to claim one of the prized ‘judges’ houses’ spots.

After belting out an impressive rendition of Mariah Carey’s One Sweet Day, Paredes was just one of 24 hopefuls who made it down to this stage.

The expat, who belonged to the over-25s group, would have visited the homestead of judge and music manager Sharon Osbourne.

When she first auditioned, she told the judging panel her two-year-old was the inspiration behind jetting into the UK.

“For me, I believe this is the biggest competition and I want to be a part of it. And X Factor can give me the stepping stones I need to do good in the future because this is all for my daughter,” Paredes said.

The singer first moved to Dubai in 2009, and she’s since frequently performed at the Regent Palace Hotel and the Comedy Junction Bar.

We’re not sure what’s next in store for Paredes, but she’s guaranteed to get a very warm reception if she comes back to the city.

(We might not be Shazza Osborne, but she can come round and perform at our house any time).

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Image: YouTube/X Factor UK